SC Gov. Haley updates records policy

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley is announcing a new policy spelling out what records her office must maintain.

Haley’s office and the state archives agency signed the document this week, representing a first in the 39-year history of the state Public Records Act.

Archives director Eric Emerson says his agency prepared a records retention policy for former Gov. John West in the early ’70s, but it was never signed.

Haley’s new policy follows criticism about deleted emails. The issue arose last fall after open records requests from media outlets revealed Haley’s office routinely deleted emails.

Haley announced shortly before Christmas that her office was working to clarify what records should be kept. Her office said it was working under a policy leftover from previous governors that was written before emails.